Gov. Greg Abbott named Phil Wilson, a resident of Four Points, as acting executive commissioner for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. 

“I will be leading the agency through this time and I am honored by the trust the governor has placed in me — especially as we are dealing with the pandemic crisis and working to protect our most vulnerable Texans,” Wilson said. 

Wilson currently serves as head of the Lower Colorado River Authority, and assumed the role with HHSC immediately. 

HHSC has 40,000+ employees and $84 billion funding from the legislature, Wilson said. HHSC oversees all of the state Medicaid programs, department of health, and residential health care facilities to name a few of its activities, Wilson said.

“Phil is an effective leader who brings a wealth of experience in state government and service to this role,” Abbott stated on March 13.

Prior to LCRA, Wilson served as executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation. Previously, Wilson was a corporate officer for Luminant, Texas’ largest electric generation company. In 2007, then-Governor Rick Perry appointed Wilson as Texas’ 106th Secretary of State. 

“I am confident in Phil’s ability to lead this agency and ensure that the department effectively serves the people of Texas,” Abbott added. “He will be a valuable asset to the agency, especially as HHSC continues to play an integral role in the state’s response to COVID-19.”